


Some Extracts from the Correspondence of Finrod Felagund

by bunn



Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Beleriand, Dwarf Culture & Customs, First Age, Gen, Jewelry, Letters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-26
Updated: 2020-03-26
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:33:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23319907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bunn/pseuds/bunn
Summary: A few documents that shed light on  first meetings between the Noldor and the Dwarves.
Comments: 13
Kudos: 74
Collections: Worldbuilding Exchange 2020





	Some Extracts from the Correspondence of Finrod Felagund

**Author's Note:**

  * For [raiyana](https://archiveofourown.org/users/raiyana/gifts).



**To the Lady Írimë of the House of Finwë, my favorite aunt, from her favorite nephew, Findaráto.**

I’m not sure how long this will take to reach you, but thought I would write anyway; even if the letter reaches you in Hithlum no faster than I do myself, it may provide some sorely needed entertainment in this strange land beyond the Sea. 

Turukáno and I have recruited guides from among the local Sindar, and are making our way down the coast. It looks a good deal more cheerful now under the light of the Sun than it did by moonlight, coming down from the Ice. Still somewhat chilly of course, compared to what we are used to, but it’s warmer along the shoreline. There are many trees awakening in the sheltered valleys among the crags, with small bright flowers gathered among their roots. 

Turukáno seems to be doing well. He doesn't look so lost, now, and he's started collecting feathers and unusual stones and shells to show Idril when we get back to Mithrim.

I don’t remember seeing many birds at all, when we passed this way before, but now the skies are full of seabirds, squawking and shouting good-natured insults at one another in the way they did at home. The trees here don’t seem to have much potential as wood for spears or building, not unless we can persuade them to grow a good deal straighter than they are at the moment, anyway. 

Most of them are crouched over, all gnarled and stubborn-looking with fronts full of moss and their backs to the sea-wind. Many are no taller than my shoulder, and don’t reach Turukáno’s! It’s a terribly odd feeling to find oneself taller than a tree. But they are very pleasing to look upon: each one a miniature beauty with a gnarled unique form. 

One of our guides, Padriel, is a daunting-looking woman with a great scar over her eye from some past encounter with the orcs. You’d like her; I’ll introduce you when we get back to Hithlum. A useful person: she has travelled all over these mountainous northern lands, from the Mountains of Shadow to the shores of the Sea. 

She introduced me to some of these small trees, and I found them pleasant company, though rather blunt and to the point. You’d probably get on with them too, come to think of it. Most of them have awakened only recently from the Sleep of Yavanna, and have had many strange and wonderful dreams, according to Padriel, who is much better than I am at interpreting their speech and thoughts. But there are young saplings too, born with the Sun. At the moment all they are doing is chattering in thoughts that are barely more coherent, at least to my ears, than the rattle of leaves in the breeze. But they will grow into the dreams of their parental forest, no doubt, with time. 

To get to the point, and no doubt by now you are wondering if I will ever manage that, we have seen few of the Sindar in these lands, and Padriel assures me that although her people do sometimes visit this place, to gather the berries that fruit richly along the shore, she knows of nobody who lives here. So much for the hope of finding more allies. 

However, as we discussed with the King, Turukáno has found a spot that he thinks would be very promising for the building of his new hall and city, even though it will need to be very much stone and not timber. 

He has taken an enormous number of measurements already, and is thinking of calling it ‘Vinyamar’. I can’t wait to see it, the drawings look very exciting. I’ve designed a swan-motif for the hall doors already. 

We’re packing up camp ready to head south again, so I’m going to send this off to you now. 

******  
**Sent to the Lord Findaráto, leader of the House of Finarfin in Beleriand, from the Lady Írimë.**

Findaráto, you scamp! You know I have a strict policy that I have no favorite nephews! 

I do appreciate that you remembered me, rather than sending your report direct to my brother. Able as he is, he can’t be expected to do everything at once, after all. 

He’s been busy lately dealing with the reparations from Fëanor’s sons, some of whom have been sly as a pack of weasels about the matter. They may have paid up cheerfully enough to you and Findekáno, but when it comes to people that they do not like so much — well, I will leave you to imagine. But I will say that I do have some least-favorite half-nephews.

I have sent this with a runner who is going to the harbour of the Teleri at Brithombar. If you are heading south along the coast, you’ll probably pitch up there sooner or later. When you do, please head back this way as soon as you can. We plan a great council to discuss matters in full with the House of Fëanor, and you should be present. 

******  
**Írimë, Mithrim**

Just a quick note to promise faithfully that I shall be back with you as soon as I possibly can. I’m giving this to Turukáno to take back with him as he is leaving Brithombar today. 

I haven’t forgotten the council, but Círdan of the Teleri tells me that they are expecting some of the Children of Aulë to come to Brithombar on a trade visit any day now, and I absolutely must meet them if I get a chance! I heard people speak of them in Doriath when I visited good old Great-uncle Elwë last year, but sadly we had to leave before any of them came visiting. 

Elwë tells me that they are short and stout as stumps, with great bushy clouds of hair on their faces. Beards, I suppose we could call them, but they all have them from a very early age, male and female alike. And they are great blacksmiths, and make the most magnificent knives and armour. I can’t wait to meet one. They should make excellent allies against the Enemy, if we can only persuade them to join us. Tell my uncle that, that should keep him happy if he starts complaining that I'm not back yet. 

Oh, and while I’m writing, if you want the tensions among my cousins sorted out, you could stop calling them half-cousins. Fëanor started all that nonsense and I can’t see why we should persist with it. Middle-earth is a thoroughly marvellous place, and I’m quite sure we can make it yet more wondrous if we just pull together. 

Oh! Turukáno is leaving already! I must finish this and give it to him. Love to you and everyone, and I shall see you very soon, I promise!

******  


**To Turgon of the House of Fingolfin, in Vinyamar.**

Dear Turgon  
How strange that looks written down! It still gives me something of a jolt to see the Sindarin form in writing, although I have got entirely used to it in speech. 

Angrod, Aegnor and I feel we are doing quite well setting up the defenses of Dorthonion. Aegnor keeps reproving me for wanting to spend too much time on the decorations - fripperies, he calls them! But without my fripperies, we would have far more difficulty now, since my new friends the Dwarves love shining and carven jewels very dearly, and have become quite enamoured of the Valinorean styles. 

Given Dwarven talents, I am fairly sure that they will pick up what I have given them and turn it to many new and cunning uses. But at the moment, they are offering all sorts of assistance in return for jewels, which I think will be very handy when I come to build my own stronghold, too. 

I have made special friends with three of them; Ase, Folke and Runa. I thought for a long while, when we were working together, that they were three brothers, so imagine my surprise when I finally discovered that they are actually one brother and his two sisters! 

They gave me a very fine chisel, made of a remarkably hard and resilient steel, when they finally decided to tell me that I had quite misunderstood. I felt much honoured by both the gift and the information. I wish I had a better gift to offer in return, but even with the things that Curvo gave me from the ships in restitution, I feel so poor in suitable items. I keep thinking of things I left in Tirion that I would love to show them. Still, I was able to set a small enchantment on a mirror, so that it shows the stars above their home when they are travelling, and fortunately, they seemed most charmed by that. 

I have heard very little from Maedhros, Maglor and the rest since they went off into the East, but then they have more work to do than we do in Dorthonion, since the East March is not so naturally defended by mountains. 

I hope all is well in the shining city of Vinyamar beside the Sea. I plan to visit you before too much longer. In the meanwhile, give little Idril all my love. 

Finrod (Finrod! Am I really Finrod now? I suppose I must be.)


End file.
